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Airlayer from last year - let it go dormant briefly?

I have an airlayered fig from last summer that seems to have stalled in growth.  It never really went dormant because I brought it in for the winter just before the weather turned cold.  The leaves are a nice dark green but it hasn't pushed out any new growth in a couple months.  It's under some grow lights in the basement where some other trees that I've allowed to go dormant are getting an early start.  


I'm wondering if whether even a small amount of dormancy would prep it for next summer's growing season.  However I'm afraid of hurting/killing it since it's the only tree of this variety that I have.  I'm also concerned that allowing it to keep its leaves will set it back this summer because it didn't get any dormant period.

Temps are hovering right around freezing at night here so I'm thinking it might be a good time to let it go dormant and get a few chill hours before spring.  The current branches look somewhat hardened off (green with brown throughout) so I don't think they'd be harmed by the cold.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?

To me, some dormancy is better than none. You only need 100 hours to recharge its batteries.


But that dormancy only includes times it actually gets 42 or below. So if a day only has temps between 38 and 42 for 3 hours, you still need 97 + hours. The soil also has to be that cold as well. Warm soil can stimulate growth after a while.

I would give it some dormancy, but be careful with temps that are too cold. Those roots still may be a bit fragile.

I had some late season fig cuttings under grow lights and I allowed them to go dormant about 2 to 3 weeks ago. 

This is the same as allowing young trees to have too much fruit. It will produce itself to death if you don't pinch some fruit off. Some energy has to be reserved to allow for actual tree growth later on in the season.

I agree, I would let it go dormant.  It's not fair to the plant to do otherwise.

I have a few late summer cuttings as well and put them out with the others last week to go dormant. I thought about growing them through the spring, but I want to untangle the roots really well and change the mix, also well lit inside space is disappearing fast.

I'm pretty well sold.  I'll provide some extra protection for the branches in the way of pine needles but will let the leaves be subject to frost and die off.  Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions!

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